CULTURE:

We learn about culture when we are young. It is taught directly and indirectly through school, books, movies, travel, movie, religion, family and many other sources. Our culture is an expression of who we are. It shapes our world view as well as our perception of time and space. Our values and how we interpret events and actions can all be attributed to our cultural backgrounds. It is extremely powerful and we can even have compound cultures depending on where we live, and what our backgrounds are. We judge and communicate based on our cultural underpinnings.

As you are aware there are many different cultures throughout the world. Each culture is always present and always changing based on current events and other influences. World Neighbor's goal is to help build bridges between cultures through information. Everyone can benefit by understanding various cultural framework. Enjoy these interesting cultural tidbits. We will refresh these regularly (and keep the previous tidbits for your reference as well!) As with all cultural generalizations not every trait will be true for all people. These are all brief "tidbits" so the history portion is in no means exhaustive but only meant to convey a high level overview.                   

Panama is located in Central America and acts as the bridge between the Americas. Panama also connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans via the Panama canal. This canal has significant economic for Panama and the world. Panama is a geographically diverse country with the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. Panama borders with both Colombia and Costa Rica. There are over a thousand islands under the jurisdiction of Panama.

 

The capital of Panama is Panama City. This is one of the most modern cities in Central America. While the city is modern, the old part of the city has neat cobblestone streets and colonial buildings. Panama has beautiful markets and forests with plentiful stunning beaches as well.

Panamanians

The culture and language are Caribbean and Spanish. The majority of the population is of mixed Amerindian, African, and Spanish. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic.

Panamanian women often greet each other by patting each other on the forearm or shoulder. If the women are close friends they may hug and kiss on the cheek. Men shake hands until they know someone wel. Once men know each other well enough, they greet each other with an "abrazo" (a hug with slaps on the back.)

Don't use a Panamanian’s first name unless they invite you to. Most people in Panama use both their mother's and father's last names. Always refer to people by the appropriate titles (Señor or Señora) along with their surname. At large social gatherings you can feel free to introduce yourself, Panamanian people are warm and friendly. At smaller parties your host will most likely handle the formal introduction.

Panama Info:

 

Romania was formed by the merging of Moldavia and Wallachia in 1859.  In 1918 Romania was joined by Transylvania, Bukovina and Bessarabia.  After World War II Romania became part of the Warsaw Pact and the territory roughly consisting of Moldova was brought under Russian rule.  When the Iron Curtain fell in 1989 Romania undertook a series of reforms leading up to joining the European Union. Romania has a moderate climate but can experience colder winters especially in the higher altitudes.

 

Romanians make up the majority of the population (~90%) with Hungarians being the largest ethnic minority at around 7%.  Romanian is the language that is spoken and the primary religion is Romanian Orthodox. Romanian culture has been defined by the meeting of three regions (Central Europe, Eastern Europe and the Balkans).  There have been cultural influences from Romans, Slavic, Serbians, Dacians, Greek, Germans, and Russians among others.  Modern Romanian culture has emerged over the last 250 years as these various influences have converged. 

Popular sports in Romania include Football (Soccer) and several Olympic events.  One of the most famous gymnasts of all time, Nadia Comaneci, rocketed to fame during the 1976 and 1980 Olympics.  Romania has been one of the most successful countries in Olympic history.

   

Romanians are by nature fun loving, warm, hospitable, playful, with an innate sense of humor.  Centuries old traditions are still practiced in many rural areas of Romania.  Traditional clothing for women includes white blouses with full black skirts, head scarves and opinci.  Opinci is a kind of leather ballet-like slipper with heavy yarn criss-crossing over thick socks.  Livestock, grains and seeds are still traded in the countryside.  These transactions are sealed with a handshake and a sip of home-made plum brandy (my kind of deal!).

 

There also some famous cultural crafts that the Romanians produce.  One of the most recognizable is the painted eggs.  These are mostly produced around Easter time. A real hallowed egg is painted with great care and detail.  The painting of these eggs is often a very social occasion with woman and children gathering to spend the day painting and talking.  Some of the intricate patterns on the eggs actually hark back to secret languages that were used in a particular region.  Pottery is also still made on traditional kick wheels.  The patterns and shapes reflect the different regions in which they are produced. The colors and patterns vary from geometric to floral depending on the unique style of the regional pottery center.

 

Romanian literary and legend also loom large in the international community.  Transylvania and Vlad the Impaler were the inspiration of the Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Some say that Transylvania sits on one of the earth’s strongest magnetic fields which provide the people with extra-sensory perception.  Vampires are said to congregate around the crossroads on St. George’s day and the eve of St. Andrew.

Count Dracula, a fictional character in the Dracula novel, was inspired by one of the best-known figures of the Romanian history — Vlad Dracula, nicknamed Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler) — who was a ruler of Wallachia (1456-1462).

 

Few people in today's world maintain and cherish their age-old customs, as do the villagers of Romania. Hardly a week goes by without a religious or secular festival somewhere in Romania. Some of the best, however, take place between Christmas and New Year's.

 

For the grandest winter spectacle, head to Romania's northwestern corner by December 27 when the "Festivalul Datinilor de Iarna" (Winter Customs Festival) takes place in the town of Sighetu Marmatiei.

Masks hang from lamp posts and people pack the streets. More masks, part demon, part animal, part indescribable hide the faces of young men who run through the streets as oversized cowbells hanging from their waists clang loudly. Far from idle Halloween fun, masks, here, are an old tradition, symbolizing fertility, the passing and renewal of time and the good and bad aspects of human nature. By the time the procession gets underway, everyone has caught the excitement and the anticipation matches that of teens at a rock concert. Accompanied by music and "colinde" (carols), some 40 to 50 groups, representing virtually every village in Maramures, pass along the main street. All are in traditional dress, meaning, for girls and women, stiff white blouses with fancy work and puffy sleeves, white or flowered skirts partially covered by striped woven front and back panels, headscarves, embroidered black woolen vests, thick knee-high socks, a stiff ballet-type shoe called "opinci" which laces criss-cross fashion over the socks, and white or black wool jackets. Large homemade bags, usually of a black and white checked design, hang by long twisted wool from shoulders. Some walkers reach into these bags to toss rice or grain toward the viewers which represents both prosperity and ridding oneself of bad fortune. Boys and men don similar jackets or a white, long-haired cloak, wide white pants, loose shirts, tooled leather belts, boots and tall hats of curly black or gray. wool.